My Journey as a Digital Steward with Connect Across Tacoma

Hello, everyone! I'm thrilled to share my experience as a Digital Steward with Connect Across Tacoma. I recently joined the program, and it has been an incredible journey so far. I've learned so many valuable skills that I'm eager to share with you all.

Firstly, let me tell you a little bit about Connect Across Tacoma. It's an organization focused on digital equity and workforce development. They offer a program called Digital Stewards that trains youth and community leaders in technical and community organizing skills. The program aims to create thriving digital futures for communities by providing immediate access solutions and empowering the community.

When I first joined the program, I was a little nervous as I am not much of a social person. However, the program is designed to be accessible to anyone, regardless of their background. The training includes a wide range of topics, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, internet infrastructure, technology skills, collaborative research, fund development, outreach, mutual aid, and community organizing. There were lots of fun people to connect with, and they were amazing to indulge in some really interesting conversations and fun activities that were part of the stewardship.

One of the first things we learned was soft skills. In today's digital age, soft skills are more important than ever. We learned about different ways of outreaching people, finding accurate data and research to identify people in need of internet resources. One of the good things about this is knowing the amount of data that is out there but has a lot of inaccuracies in it. We were taught to identify digital red lines and come up with accurate surveys so that people in need can be identified.

Another topic that I found fascinating was artificial intelligence (AI). We learned about the basics of AI, such as machine learning and natural language processing, and how it can be used to solve complex problems. We also discussed the ethical implications of AI and the importance of creating AI systems that are fair, transparent, and accountable. We were made part of an AI practitioner's cohort who every Thursday used to teach us industry-leading principles and tools in the field of AI.

We also learned about community organizing. We discussed the importance of building relationships, identifying community needs, and creating collective action plans. We also learned about outreach strategies, such as door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, and social media engagement.

One of the best aspects of the stewardship was Labs. We did fun things like configuring a router, making RJ45 cables from scratch, and literally opening all the components of a PC and assembling them together. All of these activities were done while enjoying some fun snacks together.

We are about to scratch the surface of the Cyber Security field next in the stewardship, and I am looking forward to more fun Labs on top of these amazing technical skills that we were inheriting.

Overall, I'm so grateful to have joined the Digital Stewards program with Connect Across Tacoma. I've learned so many valuable skills that will not only benefit me but also my community. I highly recommend the program to anyone who is interested in digital equity and workforce development.